Unyielding in His Innocence, Now a Free Man

[deek]

SEVERAL times over the 26 years he spent in prison for the 1977 murder of a 92-year-old woman, Dewey Bozella was dealt a potential get-out-of-jail card.

In multiple plea-bargain offers during his trial in 1990 and in four subsequent parole hearings, confessing and expressing remorse for the crime could have given him a chance to go free. He did not bite.

“I could never admit to something I didn’t do,” said Mr. Bozella, 18 at the time of the crime, 50 now. “I realized that if I was going to die in prison because of saying I’m innocent, well that was what was going to happen.”

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After reviewing the material, Justice James T. Rooney of State Supreme Court ruled on Oct. 14 that Mr. Bozella had been wrongfully convicted. “This court does not lightly disturb a conviction in such a serious case as this,” Justice Rooney wrote, but “the court, without reservation, is firmly and soundly convinced of the meritorious nature of the defendant’s application.” He called the legal and factual arguments “compelling, indeed overwhelming.”

more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/29/nyregion/29towns.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion

[xchrom]

1. read THIS horrifying OP.

so much for being innocent.

this is the kind of thing somebody WRONGFULLY convicted will always have to deal with.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6888313

[deek]

4. precisely /eom

.

[nofurylike]

2. k&r. thank you for posting this, deek!! extremely important!! n/t

[Forkboy]

3. Recced for the right headline.

:kick:

[madmusic]

7. Another murderer set free (after 26 years)

Whine about it all you want. He was a murderer for 26 years until he was set free. That's the essence of it.

[Obamanaut]

5. Rec. nt

[old mark]

6. So the REAL killer is still out there, after the most convenient suspect

went to prison.
Great job, prosecuting DA, judge. Must have been an election year.

I hope he sues the shit out of all concerned, but it won't give him back all those years.
Rec.
mark

[Joe Fields]

8. What does a man do, if he cannot get a high priced law firm to handle a

pro bono case, to the tune of 900,000 dollars in legal fees?